Flour packer



(No Model.) s 'sheets-shget 1. W. D. GRAY.

FL'OUR PACKER..

No. 465,473. Patented Dec. 22, 1891.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. D. GRAY. PLOUR PAGKBR.

No. 465,473. Patented Dec. 422, 189.1.

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(N0 Model.)

N.46&473.

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WD.GRAY.

FLOUR PAGKEB..

Patented Deo. 2.2,

UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

W'ILLIAM D. GRAY, OF MILWAUKEE, \VISCON SIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE EDWARD P. ALLIS COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FLOUR-PACKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,473, dated December 22, 1891.

Application inea March 1l 1890.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM D. GRAY, of

Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Visconsin, have invented certain Im- 5 provements in Flour-Packers, of which the following is'a specification.

This invention relates to that class of flourpacking machines in which the ilour to be delivered into a stationary hopper passes Io downward into a stationary tubev affixed to its lower end and a surrounding tube containingavertical shaft provided with angers or packing-blades by which the liou r is forced downward into the barrel or other receptacle carried by a verticallymovable platform, which sinks as the fillingoperation progresses, automatic devices being employed to trip the auger-driving gearout of action when the barrel is properly filled.

The invention relates, mainly, to an improved construction of the metal hopper by which it is adapted to sustain the drivingshafts; to an improved arrangement of parts for gradually increasing the resistance to the descent of the platform as the weight of the flour in the barrel increases in order to secure a uniformity in the packing-pressure; in improved mechanism for holding the drivingr devices in action and for throwing the 3o same automatically out of action at the proper time; to improved means by which the operator is enabled quickly to lower 4the barrel away from the packing auger and tube at the close of the filling operation.

It also relates to a valve for cutting off the delivery of Hour to the augers and to means for preventing the leakage of ilour through the slit which receives the valve.

It also consists in various other details, 4c which will be hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of the machine with the parts in operative position, the tube which surrounds the angers being omitted and the box which receives the counter-weight shown in section. Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the machine, the driving-pulley being shown in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the barrel-supporting platform.

5o Fig. 4 is a top plan view ofthe same, the adjacent parts of the main frame being shown Serial No. 342,251. (No model.)

" while being filled; C, a hopper or spout bolted to the top of the main frame to deliver the 6o our into the barrel; D, the packing-auger, and E a tube ixed to the lower end of the hopper and surrounding the auger to conduct the flour into the barrel. The platform B is provided with upright side bars l2, which slide freely between the standards a c. of the main frame, and is sustained by a chain b', carried over a pulley b2 and provided with a weight b3 sufficient to elevate the platform and empty barrel. The chain-wheel b2 is fixed on 7o a horizontal shaft b4, seated in bearings in the main frame and carrying a friction-pulley 55, acted upon by two brake-shoes F and G, which control the descent of the platform.

In order to secure a uniform pressure of the packing-auger upon the flour,v notwithstanding the increasing weight in the barrel, means are provided for automatically increasing the resistance to the descent of the platform as it sinks.. To this end the lower brake 8o F is attached to alever f, pivoted to the frame at f', and connected at its lower end by a spring f2 to a lever f3, which is pivoted at f 4 to a standard on the frame, and extended thence downwardin position to be acted upon by a roller or stud f5, projecting from the side of the platform frame. The lever is shaped and arranged in such manner that as the platform descends the'roller f5, traveling along against the lever, causes it to force the 9o brake F with increased pressure against the friction-pulley b5. Thus it is that the descending platforinis subjected to a resistance varying in due relation to the weight of its load. The spring f2 is connected to the lever 95 f3 by an eyebolt and thumb-screw f6, so that its tension and the frictional effect of the brake may be varied to adapt the machine for filling large or small barrels. The brake-carrying lever f is provided with a rigid handle roo f7, by means of which the operator may throw the brake out of action and release the platform at will, for the purposes hereinafter explained.

While Iprefer to employ the peculiar arrangement of levers herein shown between the platform and the brake, it is to be understood that these details maybe modified within the range of mechanical skill, provided the mode of 'action such as above described is retained. The essence of my invention in this regard lies in operating abrake to retard the descent of the platform by a lever on which the descending platform acts. The second brake G is employed to assist in giving the required frictional resistance during the filling of the barrel. 'It is combined with automatic devices by which it is thrown out of action when the filling is completed, in order that the platform may be left for the time being under the control of the lower brake only.

The automatic action of the upper brake is secured by attaching it to one end of an elbow-lever g, which is pivoted to the main frame and connected at its opposite end by a spring g to a bracket g2,fixed rigidly to a vertically-movable bar g3, mounted in suitable guides on the main frame and provided at the lower end with a metal catch or shoulder g4, adapted to engage, when the bar is raised to apply the brake, upon a plate g5, fixed to the main frame, as shown in Fig. l. When the bar g3 is thus lifted and locked in position, the upper brake is held with a spring-pressure upon the pulley b5.

The release of the bar and brake is effected by an inclined trip-plate g, adjustably secured to a rod g7 on the platform-frame and arranged to act against a roller g8 on the bar g3. At the instant that the barrel is filled to the proper point the descending platform causes the trip-plate g to force the catch g4 o'ut of engagement with the plate g5, whereupon the bar g3 descends, throwing the upper brake out of action. To insure this result, a spring 99 is secured to a fixed support and to the lower end of the bar g3 to compel the descent of the latter. The spring g between the bar g3 and the brake-lever is adj ustable by means of thumb-screws gw in order that the operative pressure ofthe brake G may be varied. rlhe hand-lever gn, pivoted to the frame and connected to the bar lg3 by a link Q12, serves as a means of lifting the bar to its locked position, and thereby applying the upper brake When the upper brake has been tripped out of action by the descending platform, the platform remains for the time being under the control of the lower brake. The operator, depressing the handle f7, releases the lower brake and permits the platform to descend until the upper end of the barrel is clear of the packing devices, so that it may be removed from the machine. As the spring is entirely under his control, the operator is enabled to permit this final descent of the platform and barrel with a smooth and easy action. After the barrel is removed and replaced by an empty barrel the operator again releases the lower brake by means of the handle f7, whereupon the platform and barrel are elevated by the weight. After this has been done he operates the handle g, thereby throwing the upper brake into action and at the same time throwing into action the auger-driving gear now to be described.

The hopper C iscast complete in one piece and bolted rigidly to the top of the main frame. It is inclined forward from the upper toward the lower end and is gradually changed from a rectangular form at the top to a circular form at the bottom, Where it terminates in an annular flange c, intended to receive the upper end of the packing-tube E.

The auger-shaft extends upward through the shaft of the'hopper and through its front wall, and, emerging therefrom at its upper end, is sustained in bearings c and c2, cast integral with the hopper and provided with the usual half boxes or caps to keep the shaft in place. The shaft also receives support in the bearing through which it passes from the inside to the outside of the hopper, and is further sustained at the upper end by a vertical screw c, seated in a lug in the upper bearing to receive the vertical thrust.

The auger-shaftis provided at its upperend with a fixed beveled driving-pinion al', which receives motion from a pinion h, fixed on the end of the horizontal driving-shaft H, which latter is seated at one ond in a bearing h', bolted to the hopper, and at the opposite end in a bearing h2, fixed on any suitable support.

The driving-shaft His provided with a loose TOO driving-pulley h3 and with a clutch I to lock the pulley thereto. This clutch may be of anyapprovedform; but I have shown in the provided with an expanding-wedge i', operated by an elbow-lever i2, connected by'link i3 to a sleeve i4, mounted 'loosely on the driving-shaft to play endwise thereon. This sleeve at the opposite end is grooved circumferentially to receive a collar 115, connected by a toggle 'i6 Gto the shaft-bearing Ji. The toggle is jointed at its middle to the upper end' of the brake-controlling bar g3. When, therefore, this bar is raised by the hand-lever g11 to apply the upper brake, it at the same time throws into action the auger-driving mechanism, and when the descending platform trips the bar gu out of engagement, so as to release the upper brake, it at the same time throws out of action the driving mechanism.

It is necessary from time to time to remove the tube E. In order to prevent the liour contained in the hopper from escaping during this change, the tube-sustaining flange c is provided with a horizontal slit c5 to admit a cut-off plate or valve c6, which is inserted therein from one side. y In order to permit the IIC Y pressing lever f7 and the introduction of this plate or valve before the tube is wholly removed, the construction shown in Figs. l and 2 is adopted. The flange c is provided with three screws cT cs, passed through the upper end of the tube'. The screw cs is inserted through a round hole inthe tube; but the screws c7 are inserted through L- shaped slots in the tube. To remove the tube, the screw o8 is Iirst removed and the tube then given a slight rotation, so as to bring the vertical portions of the slots over the screws c7. This permits the tube to be dropped sufficiently to expose the slot and permit the introduction of the valve, after which theremaining screws are removed and the tube detached.

Referring again to the hopper of my machine, it is to be noted that it is adapted to be and is bolted upon the top ofv the frame and that it alone sustains the auger and shaftbearings above the frame. This construction not only avoids the usual upward extension of the wooden frame and the fitting of the various bearings thereto, but it holds the bearings immovably in their proper relations, and thus avoids the annoyauces which attend the springing and twisting of frames of the ordinary forms.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The platform being at its lowest point and the upper vbrake and auger-driving mechanism being out of action, an empty barrel is placed upon the platform. The operator then depresses the handle f7, thereby loosening the lower brake F and permitting the weight to lift the platform and barrel. Vhen they have reached their highest elevation, he releases the hand-lever, allowing the lower brake to act upon the barrel, after which he lifts the hand-lever g, thereby elevating the bar g3 until it is locked by the devices at its lower end, thereby throwing into action the augerdriving mechanism andthe upper brake. As

the anger acting upon the accumulating flourforces the barrel and platform downward the resistance is graduallyincreased by the platform-roller f 5 acting on the brake-controlling lever f3. At the instant that the barrel is properly filled the trip g6 releases the bar g3, which, descending, throws the auger-driving mechanism out of gear and at the same time releases the upper brake G. The top of the barrel remains at this time over the mouth of the tube, so that the escape of flour is pre- Vented and the attendant permitted to insert the cut-off plate, if desired. The operator now depresses the handle f7, and, releasing the lower brake', permits the platform to descend until the barrel is clear of the auger and packing-tube, the barrel being then removed and another inserted. The barrel is lifted by depacking operation again incorporated by lifting hand-lever gu.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a flour-packing machine, the hopper having the slotted flange to receive the cutoff plate, in combination with the removable packing-tube having the angular slots, and the screws to hold the tube, whereby the tube 1s enabled to close the slit when in its normal position and to expose the slit while still attached to the hopper, so that the slide may be inserted and t-he leakage of flour prevented.

i 2. In a flour-packing machine, the hopper having the slit to admit a cut-off plate, 1n com-- bination with a removable tube which covers and closes the slit to prevent leakage of the flour.

3. In a flour-packing machine, the combination, with the packing mechanism, of a vcrtically-movable platform to sustain the barrel, a brake mechanism to resist the descent of the platform, and a brake-controlling lever directly and positively operated by the platform to increase the resistance as the platform descends.

4*. In a flour-packing machine, the comb1 nation of the vertically-movable platform, its counter-weight, and the friction-pulley geared to the platform with the brake-strap and lts actuating-lever arranged to be positively operated by the descending platformto increase the resistance of the brake, whereby the 1ncrease in the weight of the load is automatically compensated for.

5. In a flour-packing machine, the vertically-movable platform and a counter-welght to elevate the same, in combination with the friction-pulley to control the descent ,of the platform, the brake F, the brake-carrying lever, the second lever pivoted to the frame and connected to the lirst bya spring, and a roller or projection on the platform to operate the second lever, and thereby increase the actlon of the brake as the platform descends.

6. IIna flour-packing machine, the combination of the vertically-movable platform, a counter-weight to elevate the same, a pulley through which the vertical movement of the platform is controlled, a brake F, acting on said pulley, a brake-operating lever f3, arf ranged to be positively operated by the descending platform to increase the pressure of the brake, and adjustable connecting devices located between said lever and brake and adapted to be operated at will to momentarily release the brake while the lever f3 is held by the platform, whereby the operator may momentarily release the brake to permit the sinking of the platform beyond the point at` which it automatically stops.

`7. In a flour-packing machine, the combi# nation of an auger, an auger-driving clutch, a vertically-movable platform, a pulley and brake to resist the descent of the platform, a locking device common to the brake and the clutch to hold them in action, and a trip carried by the platform to Atrip the locking devices, whereby the auger and the brake are both thrown out of action automatically when.-

the filling of the barrel is completed.

8. In a flour-packing machine and in combination with a packing-auger, a vertically- IOO IIOL

l movable platform, a pulley to control its de-l scent, two brakes controlling said pulley, locking devices to hold one of said brakes in ac- 1 an d the devices for locking and auto matcally releasing the same, and an adjustable spring connection between said bar and the brake, whereby the brake may be applied Witlrmore or less pressure, as required, and automatically released at the completion of the filling opertion.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 18th day of February, 1890, 1n the presence of tivo attesting Witnesses.

XVILLIAM D. GRAY. fitnessesz WM. BANNEN, RICHARD HO'PPIN. 

